Descend into the Crypt of the Cir cade, a haunted dungeon where the noble once known as The Circade stirs again.

His three souls fractured, Circade's restless echoes now haunt a dungeon beneath Midrath.

Recover the scattered fragments of his Totem to reforge the Triune Talisman and claim a powerful reward.

Rumor has it... a secret chamber lies hidden, sealed behind a riddle only many minds may solve.

Something stirs beyond the Crypt… those who wear the Totem may find themselves hunted at dawn, dusk, and darkest night.

Keys to the Crypt drop from Banneret and Ode'n knight enemies across Midrath.

New Armour Set: The Circade

Rascal's Gutguard

The leather-bound plackart of The Circade.

A sturdy shield for the dusk soul's precious gut. Heavy as a slurring tongue, round as a barrel, the ancient armour creaks in combat... Though it glides as freshly oiled when the great arm raises a toast.

Shifter's Greaves

The swift-stalking greaves of The Circade.

An inconspicuous set of armour, standard issue for nobles of clan Jotar. Though, to an eye trained in Spectral Sight, they shimmer with feyish enchantments.

Deceiver's Helm - Efface

The weathered helm of The Circade.

Preserved in tomb for centuries, the Deceiver's Helm holds still the air of its former wearer. Slippery. Cool. Imposing. The metal shell echoes when worn like the inside of Kearnhold bells.

With dawn soul's tact, the helm narrows its greedy eyes.

Deceiver's Helm - Affront

With the dawn soul's gall, the helm opens its mouth wide.

Those who uncover the Festival's deeper secrets may find themselves clad in the Circade's forgotten regalia...

New Weapon Slot: Sidearms

Envoys can now equip a second weapon alongside their primary in the arsenal screen. Mix and match to suit your path.

New Sidearm Weapons

Skílter

An Ode'n flyblade.

Forged in the molten star Volhal, this air-light knife is foiled in multiplicity. Skílter can be thrown across a skytower while never leaving its master's hand. Such blades are common gifts to honour superiors and say more about status than utility. Yet those of Grace may fly death upon her tiny wings.

Nettle

Naught more than an overlarge paper knife. But this cunning blade seeks a cunning hand.

An ornamental dirk of Skelflandish make. Held in the bookbinder's grip, Nettle is designed to slice open the delicate edges of a folded page. 'Twas tween these bound folds that Skelflandish tradition sealed secret messages. And a word, as much as any blade, can cut deep.

Virdigris

A ritual dagger, aglow with moonlight.

A fine point, more handle than blade, Virdigris seeks sacrifice. She is wrought with copper, a cleansing metal meant to protect the holder from what vengeful spirit may lurch from its mark. The innermost ring of Irdis is her namesake. May that be the fate of your fallen.

Fragments for the new Sidearms will drop from Ode Caster and Ranged Hunter enemies.

Armour Defense Stats and Damage Types

Armour now offers real protection! With this update, all Helm, Cuirass, and Leggings pieces now grant defensive stats tied to three core damage types (Physical, Magical, and Stability):

• Physical Defense: Reduces incoming damage from physical attacks, such as attacks from a Sinecure's sword or a Mockery's swings.
• Magical Defense: Reduces incoming damage from magical attacks, such as Sinecure spells or lightning damage from a Banneret.
• Stability Increase: Increases Stability, allowing Envoys to withstand more hits before being staggered.

Each piece contributes to your total defense, now displayed in the top-right corner of your screen. This includes a combined total and a breakdown by damage type.

Additionally, rarer armour sets will bear more defensive stats. The list of armour, by defense rating, can be found as such:

• Lower Defenses
  • Laid Bare
• Average Defenses
  • Signet Set
  • Tempest Set
  • Tuvalkane's Set
  • Fenn Jotar's Set
  • Lady Deora's Set
  • The Circade Set
• Higher Defenses
  • Garren Rood's Set
  • Orengall's Set

While armour transmog is not yet available, a system to customize your look while retaining stats is planned for the future.

New Starter Weapons

Two of the original starter weapons have changed, offering new beginnings for aspiring Envoys.

Pact of Spirit: Gwylen

A witching-staff of alder.

Though its curling boughs look natural as wind, Gwylen was hand-shaped by Aureli jardiniers. Not carved, but grown into delicate curves - finely tuned to facilitate the flow of magic. To grow a single wand takes years. A staff like Gwylen, a lifetime.

Pact of Courage: Wulder

A hefty training sword, forged many generations ago.

Though its hilt has known many young soldiers to be, Wulder is not so worn as it is old. You imagine this broadsword respectfully retired. A mantlepiece hung above a Curlainan hearth. Warming. Waiting. For the fated hand of its final student.

Thistle, the starter weapon for the Pact of Grace, has also received a visual update.

Fragments for starter weapons will drop as end-of-mission rewards from Faction Tales.

World Trees: New Notes System

Envoys may now leave proclaimed messages at discovered World Trees across Alca. View, commend, and reply to notes left by fellow Envoys. Let your thoughts take root!

Loadout Switching

Envoys can now save and swap between up to 4 different loadouts. Each slot saves your current Pact and weapon selections. Rename your loadouts and save your current setup.

New Enemy: The Mendicant King

From the depths of the Ichor-grave, he rises. Crowned and seated upon a corrupted throne, the Mendicant King commands the battlefield with slow, deliberate cruelty. Those struck by his gaze may find themselves bound to his will. Face him in battle, and expect no mercy. He does not fight alone.

New Armour Set: The Mendicant King

Suit of Rancor

A long-buried tunic. A breastplate forlorn.

Buried on the battlefield of The Fonnish Charge, the armour of the Mendicant King rises once more. 'Round his waist, the insignia of the old Kingdom. 'Round his wrist, a gauntlet ne'er thrown down.

Bascinet of Mendicant

The heavy helm of the Mendicant King.

Once a glowing symbol of Midrathian power. Now, whether by form or by memory, corrupted. The noble mask contorts into toothed maw. Not even Tuvalkane dares reforge his crown.

Bloody Sabatons

The sabatons that lead the final march of old Midrath.

Carnelian gems trail down the greaves like beads of blood. A warning, an omen, of the ruin that would come. In its afterlife, the metal has taken on a strange fluidity. Ichorous, even without its corrupted host.

Fragments for this set will drop from defeating The Mendicant King.

Note: The Mendicant King Armour is now obtainable, though some cloth elements are still being finalized. These missing visual components will be added in a future Hotfix.

New Enemy: Will-o-wings

Carried by wind and whimsy, this sprightly plant drifts through Alca's wilds. Approach with care! If startled, it explodes in a burst of pollen. But sneak close enough, and you may pluck a reward without waking it.

New Enemy: Corrupted Slug

A creeper now slithers through Alca's swamps. This armoured foe takes reduced damage while on the move, protected by a hardened shell. But when it stops and exposes its vulnerable flesh, strike quickly. Beware its volley of spikes!

Mockeries Changes and Improvements

Once sealed in the dark, Mockeries will now spawn in corrupted zones, wide or small, around Midrath, providing a previously restricted enemy an opportunity to fight in the open world.

Clad in twig and twine, muttering in twisted tongues, such Mockeries have also been delicately placed around Midrath to provide a certain...surprise. Keep a keen eye, Envoys.

Mockeries have received a range of animation and gameplay updates:

• New casting animations and VFX.
• Improved running, strafing animations, and attack animations.
• Improved lifelike breathing and movements.
• Spawn rates will scale with the size of corrupted zones in the Glades of Andurin

Faction Tale Changes and Additions

• Faction Tales have been expanded with new encounter types, including corrupted animal rescues, freeing Sproutfolk from Undercity cages, and the return of select dungeon objectives.
• Envoys can now choose from three Tale path lengths: a single task, a short path, or a long path. Each path offers escalating difficulty, rewards, and Faction XP.

• Completing music shrine encounters during Tales now grants one of three temporary stat boosts: Courage, Grace, or Spirit.

Loot, Drop, and Crafting Changes

• Continued loot rebalancing. Reduced the overall number of chests in the world, but increased their value to support fewer, more rewarding finds.
• Enemy-specific drops are rolling out, with Sinecure enemies and Mockeries now offering more varied loot.
• Chest types have been streamlined to Common and Rare, with improved Drac and Fragment drops.
• Rare material drops are now more reliable in chests, but less frequent from enemies.
• Tuvalkane's crafting requirements have been rebalanced to align with these loot changes.
• All Rare and Common Chests now guarantee a Health Elixir if the Envoy is below max supply.

General Additions and Changes

• Enemy health now scales based on party size.
• Added new dynamic enemy encounters throughout Midrath, including Ode'n dog nests, lurking Mockeries, and more.
• Added more enemy patrols throughout Midrath to improve encounter density.
• Added new puzzles throughout the Dermak Undercity.
• Added map waypoint markers for Faction Enclave locations (Silent Rose, Kith of Kings, and Alca's Children).
• Control changes:
  • Tap E (on M/KB) or LT + A (on controller) to Smite/Soul Steal.
  • Hold E on M/KB to use your Spectral Sight, replacing the ALT input.
  • Arcanics are now cast directly using 1, 2, or 3 on M/KB.
  • Kick has been removed from controls and gameplay. Note: This change lays the groundwork for the upcoming Mote system, arriving in a future update.
• Updated popup messages and Totem icons UI.
• Increased Faction XP rewarded for Faction Tales.
• Increased enemy presence across Alca, especially along roads and in newer regions.
• Increased the casting speed of Oscelda Pact's Elderbloom and Phantom Flock.
• Improved animation systems, predictive IK, enemy AI behavior, and overall combat.
• Ongoing audio improvements and fixes including new sound effects for enemies, combat, weapons, UI, and environment.
• Ongoing improvements to lighting, VFX, environment, Volumetric Fog, graphics, and materials across the world of Alca.

Fixes

• Fixed Faction Tale stages sometimes auto-completing if the Envoy left the Tale's area for an extended time or entered the Nightfold.
• Fixed Faction Tales XP sometimes being lost if the player changed their weapon or Pact after completing the Tale.
• Fixed Faction Tale messengers appearing in streaming tunnels (such as the passage to the Undercity).
• Fixed Faction Tale Messengers sometimes appearing to float on water.
• Fixed Faction Tale UI text incorrectly labeling steps in the Glades of Andurin as The Undercity.
• Fixed transitioning to the Nightfold during a Tale's end-of-mission screen preventing further access to the Nightfold.
• Fixed Clients being unable to progress Faction Tales while the Host is in the Nightfold.
• Fixed the Collector not exploding as intended.
• Fixed some Faction Tales not properly respawning enemies or displaying on the map if the Envoy even briefly left the area.
• Fixed multiple animation issues during the Collector Faction Tale when the client places the Thunderstone.
• Fixed Collector's suction VFX not appearing for clients during Faction Tales.
• Fixed Faction Tale objectives having no mouseover text on the map for clients.
• Fixed clients not seeing the VFX on plants during the "Tend the Harvest" Faction Tale objective.
• Fixed a bug causing clients to see incorrect names for certain boss enemies.
• Fixed enemies getting stuck in the cave on the way to Garren Rood during The Torment Stag.
• Fixed Orlick appearing unintentionally during The Brewer of Hues if the Torment Stag quest was incomplete.
• Fixed the Vadagar Stag sometimes stopping its attack on the player.
• Fixed Mockery struggle interaction using the incorrect input.
• Fixed the HUD not hiding while reading Notes.
• Fixed overly sensitive tab swapping and accidental item releases in the Gear Wheel.
• Fixed Note UI backgrounds appearing with a delay.
• Fixed broken UI particles appearing during cutscene cinematics.
• Fixed disjointed D-Pad controls in dialogue UI menus.
• Fixed an issue where clicking on any World Tree icon in the map would always focus on the first one, instead of the one selected.
• Fixed some chests spawning in areas that were unreachable.
• Fixed areas in the southwest of Midrath where Envoys walk on or get stuck beneath deep water.
• Fixed players falling through the map on certain Undercity exits.
• Fixed enemies falling through the world at Fort Kearnhold.
• Fixed a bug where Envoys were able to enter the ocean behind the northern castle.
• Fixed enemies occasionally T-posing after death.
• Fixed issues with animal cage placements and animal-releasing animations.
• Fixed rescued bunnies appearing offset in midair instead of properly jumping into the Envoy's hands.
• Fixed revival VFX lingering at the location of death after reviving at a shrine.
• Fixed Envoys performing an awkward twist on the beach before selecting a loadout during the intro.
• Fixed missing Nightfold transitions while playing as a client.
• Fixed reputation being removed from Tuvalkane after selling a crafted weapon.
• Fixed Mora's Hand appearing as Garren Rood's Pact in Tuvalkane's crafting preview window.
• Fixed Arrow Hail VFX remaining if the Envoy is killed while charging.
• Fixed Arrow Hail VFX not being visible to clients.
• Fixed Orengall Pact's Feral and Soulbound having swapped functionality.
• Fixed Orengall Pact's Feral upgrade unintentionally boosting weapon damage after interacting with the Swap Motes screen.
• Fixed Pact Arcanics (Oscelda's Bestone and Phantom Flock, Sirin's Pictrix Powder and Decoy) being canceled by dodging but still triggering cooldowns.
• Fixed dying with the Oscelda Pact equipped and then entering Soulmode causing a staff to appear in hand and prevent attacking until stowed.
• Fixed Sirin's Trick of the Light explosion not being visible to clients.
• Fixed overly dark lighting in an area of the Undercity.
• Fixed various minor level holes and issues throughout the Undercity and Midrath.
• Fixed a crash that could occur on low graphics settings when interacting with volumetric fog.
• Fixed a crash caused by fighting Ode'n enemies.
• Fixed crashes caused by Pacts.
• Fixed crashes caused by Undercity puzzles.
• Fixed crashes that could occur during The Torment Stag.
• Fixed a crash that could occur during The Brewer of Hues.
• Fixed a crash that could occur during The Shewolf Snared.
• Fixed a crash caused by animal rescues.
• Fixed crashes caused by UI.
• Fixed various script errors.

*Please Note: The full new system of Runes and Motes will now arrive with a later Update.